A heartbroken mum has revealed the ‘harmless’ warning sign which turned out to be an incurable form of cancer that took her little girl’s life.
When Evie-Mae, nine, threw a book at her little sister, Betsy, their mum, Katie Badminton, assumed it was a silly accident.
But the damage it caused was life-ending.
READ MORE: ‘I lost 7st fearing I’d lose my partner – now I won’t quit Mounjaro I can’t afford’
As the five-year-old cried in pain, the mum-of-three rushed over to her aid and spotted that the book had hit her little one in the eye, causing a slight cut underneath.
She was given a cool pack and that was the end of it – until two weeks later, when Betsy’s left pupil stopped moving properly.
And, it turns out, there was a tumour, measuring two centimetres, lodged deep in her brain, which would’ve gone unnoticed if the book hadn’t been thrown.
Sadly, after battling for 11 months, Betsy lost her fight.
“I miss my little girl’s blonde pigtails, cheeky smile and signature bum wiggle,” Katie, from Bournemouth, told Need To Know.
“She idolised her big sister, Evie-Mae, and they, along with their brother, Charlie, were inseparable.
“They always used to plot something fun or cuddle up for a television show.
“There was nothing better than hearing their giggles.
“Life was noisy – and perfect.
“Until one day, when Evie-Mae hurled a book across the room and accidentally hit Betsy in the eye.”
At the opticians, tests confirmed damage to her left eye, and so she was referred to the hospital for further testing.
Her balance and coordination seemed perfect, though an MRI scan uncovered the aforementioned tumour.
She said: “I asked right away if it was benign – to which I was told that was the likely case.
“The fear gnawed at me.
“Betsy’s eye started to flicker and the squint worsened.
“I called the hospital repeatedly, pushing for more testing.
“And then a scan confirmed it was cancerous – and growing.”
The next day, in March 2025, Betsy’s right arm and leg began to weaken.
She was placed on steroids while Katie and her husband, Johnny, reeled in every parent’s worst nightmare.
Then they were delivered the earth-shattering news that Betsy had an aggressive tumour, known as a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, which was incurable.
Katie, aged 37, said: “Radiotherapy was offered to buy her time, though they told us she only had about a year left.
“My world shattered.
“I never wanted her to hear the word ‘cancer’ as she was so young and it was scary.
“But, after Evie-Mae saw us crying over a scan, she decided to make us giggle and ask if Betsy had stuck broccoli up her nose.
“From then on, her tumour was known as ‘broccoli’.
“It helped us to struggle through the whole situation.”
The family was moved to London while Betsy underwent 13 radiotherapy sessions.
Afterwards, they made the most of the time they had left by visiting Regent’s Park and London Zoo.
And, despite all she was going through, the little tot never gave up.
She said: “Betsy’s energy and curiosity never faltered.
“She taught herself to write with her left hand when her right got too weak.
“And performed in every cheerleading class that was possible.
“Things almost felt normal and like the hospital days were a bad dream.
“Until Betsy began being sick and her body grew weaker once again.”
Sadly, they were informed her tumour was growing in spite of the treatment.
Eventually, she began struggling for breath and a bleed was found on her brain.
And there was nothing more doctors could do.
She said: “We were moved to a ward which was like our home away from home.
“I had to tell Evie-Mae that her little sister wasn’t ever going to get better and that she was going to pass away.
“Her cries broke my heart.
“In Betsy’s final hours, we did word searches and sipped chocolate frappes.
“I sang her favourite song, which I made up when the girls were small, as she slipped away in my arms.”
Betsy, who was only six at the time, passed away in November 2025.
While the entire family, including their kids, were distraught, they gave each other strength to give their special girl a celebration.
All guests were asked to wear bright colours, with her coffin painted in bright pink and decorated with photos of her.
Over 400 people attended, proving how many lives she had touched in such a short space of time.
Now, Katie is sharing her unimaginable loss in a bid to raise awareness.
She added: “I want parents reading this to know the signs of childhood brain tumours.
“If you think something is wrong, push for answers.
“Betsy should’ve had a long life ahead of her, with so much to look forward to.
“Instead, this awful disease ripped her away from everyone who loved her.
“We still feel her loss every single day.
“But her light and laughter live on in our stories.
“She was fearless and taught us to never stop fighting – and to always look for the sparkle.”
READ MORE: ‘I thought I’d hurt myself at the gym – it was rare cancer and I’m learning to walk again’
